Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 377: Chapter 374: Devise a Plan

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Chu Zhiyuan slowly said, ”Due to her disfigurement, Your Highness feels ashamed and resolutely refuses to marry the Princely Heir of Prince Qing Mansion, but this move won’t work.”

The two women frowned at him.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”If you say this, what does that make the Imperial Grandfather if he agrees? ... The Imperial Grandfather still cares about his reputation and will surely issue a decree to forcefully grant the marriage, and your father might not agree to your retreat either.”

Zhu Caifu quickly asked, ”What should be done?”

She found it logical.

If the Emperor directly agrees, wouldn’t that be tantamount to disdaining the Princess for her ugliness?

Despising her because of her disfigurement due to injury would seem too heartless.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”There are two paths now, one is to fake your death, and escape through this fake death.”

The two women hesitated.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”I have a Fake Death Medicine, which, after consumption, puts the body into a rigid state of fake death, lasting for seven days.”

”What’s the other path?” Zhu Caifu asked.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”The other path is suicide, Your Highness pretending to commit suicide.”

”Don’t you offer any path to live?” Zhu Caifu snorted.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”To reverse the decisions of the two Emperors, using the most extreme method, to show a stance of dying for a principle, is the only way.”

”Why suicide?”

”Feeling ashamed and unwilling to enter Da Jing with a disfigured body and disgrace Da Zhen.”

”...Is it really necessary?” Zhu Caifu was unimpressed.

”If not, how to display the fierce temperament of Your Highness?” Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Without this, it’s impossible to give the two Emperors a way out. Without an escape, how would they change their minds?”

Zhu Caifu snorted.

She was full of resentment towards these two Emperors.

Chu Zhiyuan laughed, ”Blame yourself for not being the Emperor, right? In truth, Your Highness need not be incapable of competing for the imperial throne.”

Zhu Caifu retorted angrily, ”She’s a woman, how can she compete for the throne?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Why can’t a woman compete for the throne? Does the Emperor’s Sword not recognize a woman as its master?”

”...No woman has ever been Emperor in the history of Da Zhen.”

”Then dare to be the first in the world.”

”First become a Great Grandmaster, then have enough achievements; not to mention being a Great Grandmaster, even achievements are hard, how can a woman achieve these? Da Zhen’s army doesn’t accept women.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Why not observe the Knighthood of the Ninth Princess of Da Meng, where women hold an even lower status, yet she is still striving to become Emperor.”

From the above conversation, it is evident that Zhu Caifu knows that Cheng Miaozhen possesses Miracle Technique.

”The Ninth Princess Li Hongzhao of Da Meng?” Zhu Caifu snorted, ”She is a true heir of the Phoenix Sword Sect and has inherited the Phoenix Cry Nine Heavens Technique, destined to become a Great Grandmaster.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”His Highness the Eighteenth Prince has similarly inherited mysterious techniques, even more impressive than the Phoenix Cry Nine Heavens Technique, also destined to become a Great Grandmaster, why not strive for it?”

”You...” Zhu Caifu was stunned, her expression changed slightly.

Cheng Miaozhen also looked over, her clear eyes shining brightly.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Your Highness’s mental method is so profound, it almost escaped my intuition.”

”...They say the intuition of the Fourth Prince is impressively sharp, truly living up to the reputation.”

Cheng Miaozhen revealed a smile.

Like the first bloom after snow, radiant and striking.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”Your Highness’s suicide, I will petition for pardon, plea for the Imperial Grandfather’s compassion and fulfillment, if nothing goes wrong, it should succeed.”

”What other accident could happen?” Zhu Caifu felt this move was already very meticulous, foolproof.

Upon comparing the tactics they came up with with Chu Zhiyuan’s strategy, they realized they were indeed vastly different.

People really are different from one another.

Chu Zhiyuan is so thorough that his malfeasance is impossible to defend against.

This fellow is the Princely Heir of Da Jing and is even a prospective future Emperor.

Looking at the Princes and Princely Heirs of Da Zhen, not one seems to match up to him.

Could Da Zhen be continually suppressed by Da Jing?

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Now the only concern is interference from Wentian Cliff.”

”Wentian Cliff? Impossible!” Zhu Caifu quickly waved her hand.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Mr. Zhu, you think there’s no trace of Wentian Cliff behind the matter of the Eighteenth Prince marrying over?”

Zhu Caifu said, ”No matter what, Wentian Cliff wouldn’t go against Your Highness.”

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”They’re not aiming to harm Your Highness but to harm me.”

Zhu Caifu opened her mouth, surprisingly speechless.

She recalled the thoughts she had just had.

Since she could have such thoughts, then what about Wentian Cliff? Could Wentian Cliff not see Chu Zhiyuan’s threat?

How to neutralize Chu Zhiyuan’s threat?

Certainly not by assassination; those evil sect sorcerers are no match for the Princely Heir, pose no threat.

There’s only bringing him down, preventing him from becoming Emperor, or even a Great Grandmaster.

Forcing him to accept a woman he doesn’t wish to marry is indeed a good way to bring him down.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Mr. Zhu, you haven’t completely fallen out with Wentian Cliff, right?”

”I have.” Zhu Caifu snorted, ”The sect has gone too far with their conduct, utterly intolerable.”

Chu Zhiyuan had been Insightfully observing her, feeling that her words were likely true, so he asked, ”If they interfere, how would they do it?”

”If they interfere... Gao Jiuqu?” She looked at Cheng Miaozhen.

Cheng Miaozhen said, ”Young Master Gao is simple-minded, with no bad intentions.”

Zhu Caifu snorted, ”The simpler one is, the easier they are to be used, plus, his actions are straightforward.”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”Besides Mr. Gao, who else is from Wentian Cliff?”

”Then it would be Senior Brother Mo.” Zhu Caifu said, ”He usually doesn’t meddle in other people’s business, probably went to your mansion early on to find your father.”

Chu Zhiyuan raised his sword-like eyebrows and nodded.

Zhu Caifu said, ”If he hadn’t insisted on coming over, this duty wouldn’t have fallen to him. Eagerly coming, isn’t it just to exchange painting and calligraphy skills with Prince Qing?”

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”But Mr. Mo still needs to be guarded against; a Great Grandmaster’s destructive power is still strong.”

”Senior Brother Mo is easily dealt with, just send him to your mansion to find your father.”

”...That works.” Chu Zhiyuan nodded, ”I noticed among your guards, there’s someone with a nondescript face, a mole under the neck, and another mole at the left eye corner. This person is not ordinary, you’d best keep an eye on him to prevent any problems.”

”A mole under the neck, another mole at the left eye corner...” Zhu Caifu frowned in thought.

Cheng Miaozhen said, ”Lu Sanjin, right? He’s a guard of the Princess Mansion, an old hand in the estate.”

”Is there something wrong with him?” Zhu Caifu asked.

Chu Zhiyuan shook his head, ”Something feels off, could be a part of Wentian Cliff, or other forces, but there’s a problem for sure.”

”I will investigate him.” Cheng Miaozhen nodded gently.

Chu Zhiyuan’s intuition is sharp, even able to perceive her cultivation.

So one should trust his intuition, he has no reason to lie in this matter.

Chu Zhiyuan said, ”That should about do it, Mr. Gao will probably be engrossed in swordsmanship for a while, Mr. Mo in painting and calligraphy, as for the rest, just be on guard and nothing should go wrong.”

He laughed, ”Then let’s wish for our success to be complete and our desires fulfilled.”

Cheng Miaozhen revealed a slight smile.

Zhu Caifu laughed, ”Fourth Prince, in the future, don’t you regret it.”

”Regret?”

”Regret pushing Miaozhen away, when you clearly had the chance.”

”Little Aunt—!” Cheng Miaozhen hastily chided.

Chu Zhiyuan smiled, ”If circumstances change, Mr. Zhu can always come to find me at the Prince Mansion.”

The Great Grandmaster has an extraordinary technique, capable of easily entering the Prince Mansion to find him, the quickest means of communication.

”Alright.” Zhu Caifu agreed.

Chu Zhiyuan clasped his hands, ”Then I shall take my leave, can’t delay too long, lest it arouse suspicion.”

”Yes, yes, then you hurry on, if anything happens, I’ll seek you out in the Prince Mansion.” Zhu Caifu hurriedly said.

Chu Zhiyuan nodded to Cheng Miaozhen, then turned and exited the pavilion, striding away.

Zou Fang followed closely behind.

Cheng Miaozhen and Zhu Caifu’s gaze lingered on him until he left.

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